Attachment Parenting
jshf
member
Options
RP: Carseat
jshf
member
I am kind of confused about what to get, so am hoping for some guidance. I want to buy a convertible car seat, but noticed the weight limit varies from 40-85lbs. How long are you supposed to keep kids in a convertible seat? When can you switch to a booster seat? Is it worth the extra money to buy a convertible with a higher weight limit? Which brands do you recommend? Thanks for any insight!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: RP: Carseat
Carseats are never outgrown by the weight limit--they're always outgrown by height first. You'll want to choose a seat with a really tall shell. Children typically need to be harnessed until around 5.5-6, but it depends on the child. They must be at LEAST 4 years old AND at LEAST 40 lbs AND must have the maturity to sit completely still behind the seatbelt 100% of the time they're in the seat. The maturity thing comes sometime after age 5 usually, but not always. My 4 year old is 46 lbs and has been boostered full time since around 4 years 2 weeks, but only because I know he can handle it. Harnessing is not any safer, and perhaps is less safe, than boostering, but that's only when the seat is being used properly (age, weight, maturity).
So, with that considered, definitely get the seat that will last hopefully until booster age and readiness. Also, it is recommended to rear face as long as possible, at least until age 2, but optimally until around age 4. It is 500% safer to rear face than forward face, especially until their cervical spine becomes fully fused around age 4. That means you're going to need a seat with a tall shell and lots of leg room. I like the sunshine kids radians. We used to be a britax family, but we've phased out all of our britax seats for sunshine kids seats. The 2 other seats I'd consider are the first years true fit and safety first complete air (your 6 month old may still not fit in it, though. It has a tall bottom slot for the harness).
Expensive brands are not any safer than the $40. All seats must pass the same crash tests, and that's all there is to it. However, additional features for comfort and ease of use or longevity of use make more expensive seats worth buying sometimes. Decide which features are important to you and make a decision based on that.
The alpha elite makes a deadly booster, so please make sure you buy a new seat when they need a booster. The belt fit is the worst of any seat out there (ask any tech, they'll all have the same exact reaction). It is impossible to get a good, safe belt fit with the alpha omega seats. Beyond that, I can't imagine it would last any child to boostering age and size.
The graco myride and evenflo triumph advance are good seats, too, but will usually be outgrown before a child is booster ready. If you're planning on having more children, it's not a huge deal--you pass down the convertible seat, and buy the older child a seat like the graco nautilus or britax frontier that have a taller harness and then convert to great boosters.